How to Tell when Radishes Are Ready for Harvesting
Radishes are a popular root vegetable, often used in salads for their crisp and "spicy" taste. They mature quickly and are easy to grow in pots in a container garden. Here's how to tell if your radishes are ready for harvesting:
Research days to harvest
Look at the seed packet or research online to find out how many days it will take for your radishes to form. Radishes can take from 21-60 days to be ready for harvest depending on the variety. Summer varieties mature sooner than winter varieties. Remember, the number you find is just a guideline. Your radishes may take a little longer depending on environmental conditions. When planting your radish seeds, be sure to mark the date you planted your radishes on a marker by your plants or on your calendar. That way, you can remember to check them on time.
Pay attention to the top of the radish
You'll usually be able to see the top of your radishes poking through the soil. Once this happens, watch for them to get to be about an inch in diameter. If the tops of your radishes aren't showing around the time they should be ready for harvest, gently brush aside some soil to reveal the bulbs to see if they are big enough.
Reasons radishes did not form bulbs
Sometimes, radishes won't form bulbs. You'll go to your plants to harvest them and will find a long root with some fibrous roots instead of a radish bulb. There are several possible reasons for this:
Too hot: If the weather is too hot, your radish plants may "bolt", meaning they hurry to produce seeds rather than forming a bulb.
Too much fertilizer: Plant fertilizers contain nitrogen, and nitrogen helps with leaf growth rather than root growth. Be sure not to use too much fertilizer -- your radishes don't need much if any.
Radishes too crowded: Radish seeds should have at least 2 inches between each one. If they are spaced too closely, your plants may not form bulbs.
Soil problems: Your soil's pH level should be neutral (a pH of about 6-7). The soil should be loose and should drain well.
References
Radish Garden: Help! My Radishes Aren't Bulbing
About .com: Radishes - Growing Radishes in the Home Vegetable Garden
Published by Vanessa Bartlemus - Featured Contributor in Lifestyle
Vanessa Bartlemus has a B.A. in Journalism and Psychology. She has been published on Associated Content, Yahoo! Shine, Yahoo! News, ehow.com, Helium.com, and Orato.com. She is the mother of a sweet little 3... View profile
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